Columns in the interior: 75+ ideas of antique grace and sophisticated Empire style

Luxurious empire style is emphasized by columns made of natural stone

Columns in the interior give any room grandeur, luxury and pomp with an empire hue. Today, these vertical groups serve a purely decorative function. However, earlier mystical qualities were attributed to the columns; among the ancient Egyptians and Indians, these architectural structures were of totem significance..

Concrete columns in a modern interior

Wide decorative column with mirror finish

You can make a column of any shape from polyurethane

Wooden column separating the kitchen and living area

Beautiful columns made of natural stone in the interior of the Scandinavian style

But the engineering support function was still the main one. Columns in the interior of a modern home are a sign of the owner’s high material status, good taste and commitment to historical architecture. Columns are an indispensable attribute of the following styles:

Modern rendition of the royal empire style

1. Baroque.
2. Royal.
3. Gothic.
4. Rococo.

Baroque interior decorated with columns with gold patterns

Taking into account the design of the columns, in the future, the type of finishing, decor and furniture is selected..

Columns in the interior of the house – their main elements

Any column has three components:

• base or base;
• trunk;
• small cap.

Columns fit well into any interior

The base is the lower part of the structure that can withstand the entire load. Usually the base has a simple shape, but sometimes it is decorated with horizontal grooves..

The column trunk, which is the main part, can be round, square, polygonal, while being absolutely smooth or textured.

Concrete column with raw facade

The capital is called the uppermost part of the column, but sometimes this element may be absent. Without a capital, the column looks like an ordinary pillar. It is this part, according to the architects, is considered the most expressive and makes it possible to embody the most daring artistic ideas into reality..

Beautiful stone columns in the bathroom

On the capitals you can see:

1. royal bas-reliefs;
2. volutes – curls, twisted in a spiral;
3. palmettes, a symmetrical pattern of palm leaves.

Spiral columns can be created from a specific material.

Varieties of designs

In order for all the details of the interior to be perceived correctly and correspond to the style, it is necessary to correctly choose the material from which the columns will be made. There are many such materials, it can be:

• a natural stone;
• metal;
• wood;
• gypsum or drywall;
• polyurethane.

Columns as a decorative element in a private house

Natural stone means granite, marble, basalt, malachite. Similar architectural works of art can be seen in museums, theaters, exhibition galleries, luxury restaurants and five-star hotels..

Zoning with massive stone columns

Huge, luxurious pillars are placed in the center of the halls, and less bulky pillars are usually erected at the entrance to the building. For a private house, columns made of natural stone are a luxury, so only a very wealthy owner can afford them..

Stylish marble columns in the interior

Metal structures are much cheaper, build quickly and can be of any shape. As a rule, such columns decorate high-tech or minimalist interiors. For these design directions, practicality is inherent, first of all, and the aesthetic component is already in second place. What other material can boast of high strength and reliability, if not metal??

Painted metal columns add a touch of flavor to the interior

Wooden decorative columns in the interior are close in spirit to ethnic styles – country, Provence and eco-style. Carved columns will take their rightful place in a house where any of these interiors reigns supreme. First, the columns are installed, and the rest of the components are already chosen for them:

1. finishing;
2. furniture;
3. Scenery;
4. textile;
5. accessories.

Unusual wood columns

Plasterboard structures are built very quickly. Having a design project in hand, the owner can create such a column on his own, since the material allows you to create real masterpieces. A plasterboard pillar will become a worthy decoration of the living room, nursery, library.

Small plasterboard columns in the hallway of a private house

The plaster architectural elements of the interior are classics of the genre. It is with this material that professional designers like to work most of all. Gypsum can be easily restored, thanks to which it is easy to give a structure damaged from time to time, as a result, it cannot be distinguished from a new one.

Plaster patterned columns will highlight the hallway area

Gypsum is a very plastic material, so there are no restrictions in terms of shapes and whimsical elements for it. If in the process of work the master made a mistake, it can be quickly corrected by grinding or applying a new layer..

You can make any pattern on a gypsum column and give it any shape

Columns made of polyurethane in the interior deserve special attention. The material has significant advantages, including:

• low price;
• light weight;
• ease of processing and installation;
• reliability and durability;
• resistance to sunlight, moisture and temperature extremes.

Classic gypsum columns

Capitals made of polyurethane can be given the most bizarre shape and decorated with all kinds of ornaments. Polyurethane foam vertical structures are notable for the fact that they can be painted in any color. The material today is very popular not only among eminent designers, but also among those for whom this activity is still new. This is due to the ease of handling polyurethane and its versatility..

Patterned columns in the interior of the oriental style

Advice! If the owner cannot decide on the choice of material for the column, he should focus on polyurethane, since this option is considered a win-win and is acceptable for any interior.

Polyurethane columns in the entrance area of ​​the house

Modern columns and their tasks

A modern interior with columns in an apartment is not only about beauty and aesthetics. Most of these architectural works have specific benefits..

Designers recommend using at least 2 columns in the interior.

If the structure is made of durable material (brick, metal, stone), it can be load-bearing and perform a supporting function. To install a heavy column in an apartment building, the owner will need to obtain the appropriate permission from the municipal organizations.

Brickwork in loft-style column decoration

Ideally, such architectural structures are designed together with the house itself and installed during its construction. This is the most correct, since this is the only way to optimally select the finish and take into account all the nuances of the design..

Decorating an arch using paired columns

Using columns, you can zone the space of the room. Owners of large rooms resort to this method of division, if the latter require visual division into zones. This is a non-standard solution and is suitable for people who love creativity..

Zoning of the living room and kitchen-dining room thanks to a concrete column

Installed vertically, the architectural groups visually raise the boundaries of the ceiling and give the room even more spaciousness. Entire colonnades are erected in huge rooms, with the help of which the lines of the interior become clearer.

A partition of columns with a curbstone perfectly zones the space

Decorative columns in the interior are the best solution for rooms with a lot of communications that need to be hidden. The dwelling of a modern person is literally crammed with all kinds of cables and engineering systems that spoil the appearance of the room. The upwardly directed structure will hide both low-current and powerful wires in its depths.

Column made of wooden beams, into which some communications can be easily placed

Advice! Through the trunk of the column, you can bring communications to the attic floor and none of the guests of the house will think that something is hidden from view in the beautiful scenery.

Pastel interior with contrasting columns

Columns and styles

Architectural decorative designs are selected not only taking into account the attractiveness of additional elements, material and texture. The main style features should also be taken into account..

For a loft style, a concrete column is perfect

• For the Egyptian interior, it is necessary that painted patterns and ornaments of plant themes are present on the surface of the trunk. As a rule, such columns are absolutely smooth, there is no relief and texture on them. The main colors of the pictures are green, coral, blue, red, olive.

Columns in Egyptian style with interior lighting

• The styles that have already become historical (baroque, rococo) are manifested in luxury, pretentiousness and pomp. All kinds of decorations are made from natural materials, and the vertical architectural units serve as the starting point that forms the entire interior..

Patterned columns that adorn the interior in the Empire style

• Art Nouveau is characterized by asymmetry, smoothness and curvature of the contours. Numerous patterns and painting are acceptable here..

Black and white art nouveau with carved wooden columns

• Ethnic interiors (Provence, country) have many ramifications, so the decorations are unique here. The same goes for the columns..

Shabby chic interior with small columns

Advice! If you are going to install a column in your home, the owner must get acquainted with the basic style solutions and choose the one that best suits the existing interior..

Room decoration in a strict conservative style with dark wood columns

Original options for decorating columns in a home

In modern interiors, architectural vertical groups are most often made of concrete, brick, much less often – from artificial stone and very rarely – from natural stone.

Straight column in the form of a conventional pillar in a modern interior

To give the columns originality and uniqueness, designers use a variety of techniques, including decorative plaster, which is then painted in accordance with the general background of the room. In order for the plaster to hold tightly, a reinforcing mesh is used, and the texture on the surface is created using special devices that can be purchased at any hardware store.

The decorative plaster pattern lends the columns the sophistication of yesteryear

An interesting option is to decorate the trunk with mosaic tiles. It uses tiles of the smallest size, different colors and textures. To prevent the column from falling out of the general style, it is recommended to decorate the frames of wall panels, borders, fireplace portal, doorways with the same tiles.

Column decorated with black mosaic in a modern kitchen interior

The column frame can be made of ordinary timber and covered with natural veneer, MDF panels or other finishing material. Everything that is practical, beautiful and fits into the image of the room is acceptable here..

Decorating a wide column with mirror inserts